Apparatus for sizing and setting articles such as piston rings



951949 T. A. BOWERS APPARATUS FOR SIZING AND SETTING ARTICLES SUCH AS PISTON RINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. '7, 1945 a m 2, 0; s $0 E0. V 2 7 I 3 m Aug. 9, 1949. T. A. BOWERS 2,478,231

' APPARATUS FOR SIZING AND SETTING ARTICLES SUCH AS PISTON RINGS Filed Nov. 7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' 4 48 Fx z 4 2 4/ v 1 39 46 36 V i 2; L 7i w 24 22 4 i I I 4'1 Z I 32 2a Z/ w l 28 i N P3 3 9 /4 3/ A; .38 M /7 0 Z9 if 29 2e 3 R 9/ X H I /0 J9 $5 5 I fnVEfi 2221- 710mm d WEES, QECEflSED fl/ZABETH MBowaes, flan/EX.

Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR SIZING AND SETTING ARTICLES SUCH AS PISTON RINGS Thomas A. Bowers, deceased, late of Brookline, Mass, by Elizabeth M. Bowers, administratrix, Brookline, Mass, assignor, by mcsne assignments, to Thompson Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November '7, 1945, Serial No. 627,129

'7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a die structure adapted particularly for shaping, sizing and setting ring shaped articles, and more especially oil type piston rings or the like.

An important object of the invention is to produce an improved die structure of the collet type in which collet jaws of different sizes may be interchangeably assembled for the treatment of rings of different diameters.

Another object is to provide improved means for effecting the radial shifting of the collet jaws for radial compression of rings against and around a sizing bushing for sizing of the rings to the desired diameter, together with improved setting means for axial holding and setting of the rings during the sizing operation, as a result of which operations the rings will be given their final shape and dimensions.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved die structure for finishing ring shaped articles of U-shaped cross section.

The above referred to and other objects, features and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and are embodied in the structure shown on the accompanying two sheets of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view from plane I-I in Figure 2, and with a part of the cover plate broken away;

Figure 2 is a section on plane II-II in Figure 1 showing the die structure in open position; and.

Figure 3 is a section like Figure 2 but showing the die structure in closing position for shaping, sizing and setting a ring.

The structure shown comprises a circular base Ill having ears II extending therefrom by means of which the structure may be mounted on a support, as the work table of a power press. Mounted on the base is an annular cylindrical wall member l2 held concentric therewith by engagement with a circular shoulder I 3 on the base. An integral axially upwardly projecting, central portion Ii) of reduced diameter on the base cooperates concentrically with the wall member l2 to provide an annular channel space M therebetween. Extending coaxially through the base is a cylindrical bore or passageway Hi. In its upper side, the base is countersunk to provide a flat annular surface [6 surrounded by a shoulder ll concentric with the bore or passageway l5. Mounted concentrically on the surface I 6 is an annular anvil H! which is of somewhat smaller diameter than the passageway l5. The anvil i8 is preferably of rectangular cross-section and is held in centered relation by abutting the shoulder l1. Extending through the anvil I8 is a sizing bushing ['9 whose inner diameter coincides with the diameter of the passageway l5. The bushing has an outwardly directed flange 20 which projects over and engages with the top of the anvil along the inner margin thereof, the outer cylindrical face or shoulder of the flange being of a diameter corresponding with the inner diameter to which rings R, are to be shaped and correspond. The rings R to be treated are placed on the anvil l8 in encircling relation with the sizing bushing flange 29.

Arranged in a circular row concentric with the passageway l 5 and mounted on the base part l0 outside of the anvil 18 for sliding radial movement on the base part, are jaw elements 2|. Each of these jaw elements comprises a rectangular body 22 the upper face of which is coplanar With the upper face of the anvil It. On top of each body 22 is mounted a jaw plate 23 which projects over slidably onto the top face of the anvil Iii and is formed as a ring segment cooperative with all of the other jaw plates 23 to form a sizing ring to drive against and sizingly clamp the interposed ring element R against the sizing perimeter of the sizing bushing flange 2i]. The jaw plates are held on the respective bodies 22 as by pins 25. The bodies 22 have axially inwardly opening bores 25 for supporting respective coiled compression springs 26 which abut the outer side or periphery of the anvil l8 and normally tend to shift the jaw elements radially outwardly to hold the radially inner edges of the jaw plates 23 clear of the ring R to be treated. In its outer end each jaw body 22 has a vertical slot 21 therein for receiving the upper end of a rocker lever or cam 28. These levers or cams 28 extend down in the annular space it for engagement at their lower ends with plungers 29 which are shifted radially in bores 3!] through the lower part of the base portion it.

At their inner ends the plungers are adapted to project radially into the vertical passageway i5 through the base. The outer portions of the plungers 25! are of somewhat greater diameter than the inner portions thereof and the respective bores 33 are correspondingly dimensioned so as to provide shoulders 3| against which the complementary shoulders provided by the enlarged diameter outer portions of the plungers abut to limit their inward movement, as shown on Figure 2. At their outer or back edges 32, the rocking cams or levers 23 are shown as of substantially semi-circular extent. These edges 32 have fulcrum engagement with the inner ends of means such as fulcrum studs 33 which have adjustable threaded engagement in the annular wall l2 and are provided with lock nuts 34. The jaw elements 2| and the cam elements 28 are held in service position by an annular cover plate 35 detachably secured to the wall 12 as by screws 36.

Means for driving the actuating plungers 29 comprises a cylindrical driving plunger 31, reciprocably shiftable axially in the passageway 15 and the sizing ring 19 and having a conical lower portion 38 for engagement with the inner ends of the plungers 29. The driving plunger 31 has a stem 39 extending upward therefrom and threaded along its outer end for threaded engagement by a setting punch member 40. A pressure member or pad 3| is concentric with and slidably receives the stem 39. Between the setting punch member 4i] and the pressure pad M is disposed a uniformly circularly spaced plurality of compression springs :32 and alternate pilot pins 33. The pilot pins 43 thread into the pressure pad for slidable reception in pilot bores 34 in the setting punch 48, while the springs 42 are seated at their ends in aligned pockets i5 and 56 in the punch and pad members respectively. The springs 42 are of such length and compression characteristics as normally to force the punch and pad members axially apart to the extent limited by engagement of the pressure pad ii by an opposing shoulder 4'! on the upper end of the driving plunger 31. The setting punch GB is shown as having a stud ea extending therefrom by which it may readily be attached to the ram of a power press (not shown) The assembly including the driving plunger 3? and the setting pun-ch 40 and the pressure pad 4! is normally raised by the ram to be clear of the passageway it in order that rings R to be treated may be applied to the anvil 18 around the flange 28 of the sizing bushing [9. When the punch assembly is thus raised, the springs -32 will hold the pressure pad member 4! against the shoulder ll at the upper end of the punch member 3?, as shown on Figure 2.

The particular ring R shown on the drawings is of radially outwardly opening U cross-section and may be formed of segments 49, as shown on Figure 1. vided with tongues 59 for engaging in the ring channel.

When the punch driving plunger and setting punch structure is withdrawn from the base assembly, the springs 28 in the jaw bodies 22 will shift the bodies radially outwardly to hold the jaw plates 23 in outer position, as shown on Figures 1 and 2, and such outward shift of the jaw bodies rocks the cam members 28 on their fulcrum studs 33 for radially inward shift by The jaw plates 23 are therefore prol the lower ends of the cams of the plungers 29 to cause the inner ends of the latter to project into the passageway into the path of the conical end portion 38 of the driving plunger 31 when the driving plunger is moved downwardly through the passageway l5. Figure 2 shows the 4 inward shift of the jaw members 2| by the upper ends of the cam members 28.

As the conical driving plunger end portion 38 comes into engagement with the plungers 29, the pressure pad'4l comes down into engagement with the top-of the sizing bushing 19 and then, as the driving plunger 31 continues its downward movement and the actuating plungers 29 gradually advance radially outwardly and continue rocking of the cam members 28 for driving thereby of the jaw members 2| inwardly for engagement of the jaw plates 23 with the ring R to be sized, the springs 42 will be compressed to urge the pressure pad with increasing pressure against the sizin bushing l9 and the ring R to be treated and toward the jaw plates 23, thus holding the ring R in proper radial alignment while the jaw plate tongues 59 exert radial pressure into and against the ring for contraction thereof to the diameter of the flange of the sizing bushing, this operation being shown in full outline on Figure 3. Thereafter, the ram of the power press maybe moved down far enough for striking of the pressure Dad 4| by the setting punch member as shown in dot-dash outline on Figure 3 for the final shaping and setting of the ring R. After this final operation, the punch and plunger assembly will be raised clear of the jaw assembly and the sizing jaw springs 26 operate to spread the jaws 2| open, thereby permiting' removal of the finished ring R and insertion of the next ring to be treated.

Rings of different diameters may readily be treated in my improved die structure. For any size of ring, a sizing bushing l9 will be applied which has a flange 20 of the diameter to which the ring is to be sized, and jaw plates 23 of proper radial length will beapplied to the jaw bodies 22. By adjusting the fulcrum studs 33, the desired radial pressure of the cam members 28 against the jaw members may readily be obtained. As the plungers 29 are being shifted outwardly by the conical drawing plunger end portion 38, the cylindrical body of the driving plunger 3'! operates to a certain extent to hold the sizing bushing l9 concentric with the jaw element circle so that the sizing pressure will be equally distributed against the ring to be treated.

There has been shown a practical and ehicient embodiment of the features of the invention but it is not desired to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation shown and described as changes and modifications may be made without departure from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination in a die structure for the purpose described, a base member having a bore therethrough, a sizing bushing'on said base structure forming a continuation of said bore and having an outer surface of a diameter for receiving a ring to be sized, a circular row of cooperative jaw elements mounted on said base structure for radial inward movement for sizing engagement with the r ng to be sized, actuating plungers radially shiftable in said base and having their inner ends projectable into said bore, and lever members having fulcrum connections intermediate their ends and engaging at their upper and lower ends respectively with said jaw elements and said actuating plungers, and a driving plunger member axially shiftable in said sizing bushing and said bore for engagement with the inner ends of said actuating plungers to shift them radially outwardlyfor thereby rocking said lever members on their fulcrums for inward radial shifting of the jaw elements against the ring to be sized.

2. In combination in a die structure for the purpose described, a base member having a bore therethrough, a sizing bushing on said base structure forming a continuation of said bore and having an outer surface of a diameter for receiving a ring to be sized, a circular row of cooperative jaw elements mounted on said base structure for radial inward movement for sizing engagement with the ring to be sized, actuating plungers radially shiftable in said base and having their inner ends projectable into said bore, and lever members having fulcrum connections intermediate their ends and engaging at their upper and lower ends respectively with said jaw elements and said actuating plungers, a driving plunger member axially shiftable in said sizing bushing and said bore for engagement with the inner ends of said actuating plungers to shift them radially outwardly for thereby rocking said lever members on their fulcrums for radial inward shifting of the jaw elements against the ring to be sized, and a pressure member for pressure engagement with the sizing bushing for holding the ring to be sized and said jaw members in radial alignment while said jaw members are being shifted inwardly into sizing engagement with the ring,

3. In combination in a die structure for the purpose described, a bushing having an outer cylindrical surface for receiving a ring which is to be sized to the diameter of said surface, a circular row of jaw elements surrounding said bushing and movable radially, fulcrum means disposed annularly about said jaw elements, rocking levers fulcrumed intermediate their ends on said fulcrum means and engaging at one of their ends with said jaw elements, a member movable axially in said sizing bushing, and means movable by said member during axial movement thereof in a plane normal to the axis of said member for rocking said levers on their fulcrums for inward radial shift thereby of said jaw members into engagement with the rig to be sized.

4. In combination in a die structure for the purpose described, a base having a central aperture, a bushing having an outer cylindrical surface for receiving a ring which is to be sized to the diameter of said surface, a circular row of jaw elements surrounding said bushing and movable radially, fulcrum means disposed annularly about said jaw elements, rocking levers fulcrumed intermediate their ends on said fulcrum means and engaging at one of their ends with said jaw elements, a member movable axially in said sizing bushing, means disposed in said base for sliding movement normal to said axis by said member during axial movement thereof for rocking said levers on their fulcrums for inward radial shift thereby of said jaw members into engagement with the ring to be sized, and means movable with said member for engagement with the ring to be sized and the jaw members to maintain radial alignment thereof during inward shift of the jaw members.

5. In combination in a die structure for the purpose described, a sizing bushing having an outer cylindrical surface for receiving a ring to be sized thereto, a circular row of jaw elements surrounding said bushing and movable radially theretoward, a housing wall surrounding said jaw elements, adjustable fulcrum members on said housing wall, rocking levers fulcrumed intermediate their ends on said fulcrum members and engaging at one of their ends with said jaw elements, a member movable axially in said sizing bushing, and means operated by said member during axial movement thereof for acting on the other ends of the rocking levers for rocking the levers to effect inward radial shift thereby of said jaw members into engagement with the ring to be sized.

6. In a die structure for the purpose described, a supporting base, a sizing bushing supported on said base and having an outer cylindrical surface for receiving a ring which is to be sized to said surface, a circular row of jaw elements surrounding said bushing and movable radially theretoward, rocking levers fulcrumed intermediate their ends and engaging at one of their ends with said jaw elements, a member movable axially in said sizing bushing and having a camming surface, and plungers movable in said supporting base for engagement by said cam surface to be shifted into engagement with the other ends of said levers for rocking thereof for inward shift thereby of the jaw members into engagement with the ring of said bushing to be sized.

7. A die structure for the purpose described comprising a base having an axial passageway therethrough, a sizing bushing mounted on said base and forming a continuation of said passageway, said bushing having an outer cylindrical surface of a diameter to which a ring received thereby is to be sized, a circular row of jaw elements mounted on said base concentric with said bushing for radial movement theretoward, actuating plungers radially shiftable in said base below said jaw elements, rocking levers engageable at their upper ends with said jaw elements and at their lower ends with said actuating plungers, adjustable fulcrum members engageable by said levers intermediate their ends, and a driving plunger shiftable axially in said bushing and said passageway and having a cam surface for engagement with said actuating plungers for radial outward shifting thereof and rocking of said levers for inward shift thereby of said jaw elements into engagements with the ring on said sizing bushing for sizing of the ring to the bushing surface diameter.

ELIZABETH M. BOWERS, Administratrz'a: of the Estate of Thomas A. Bowers,

Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 30, 1920 

